Jul 11, 2019

ThriftBooks

Ross Mignoli is the new CFO at Seattle-based ThriftBooks. Mignoli has over 35 years of financial consulting, executive management and business advisory experience. He was a partner at Arthur Andersen and CFO of Performance Driven Brands, a provider of automotive parts. ThriftBooks says it is the world's largest seller of used books.

City of Seattle

The city of Seattle's Office of Sustainability & Environment hired Ximena Fonseca-Morales as program coordinator for the Equity & Environment Initiative. Fonseca-Morales recently worked for Washington County's Environmental Health program in Oregon, where she focused on partnership development and led community engagement on a wide range of environmental topics.

Fraxion

Rick Gustafson joined the board of Fraxion, a Seattle cloud-based procure-to-pay solution for business expense management. Gustafson has over 25 years of experience in spend management and technology, most recently as CFO of ServiceMax, a provider of mobile and cloud-based field service solutions.

Evergreen Market

Evergreen Market is opening a cannabis store this summer in Bellevue at 638 116th Ave. N.E. It is the fifth location for the company, which is the maximum allowed by state law.

Rover.com

Rover.com, a Seattle-based provider of pet sitters and dog walkers, added the ability to book in-home pet grooming services. Seattle and Austin, Texas, are the first two cities to have the service; more will be launched later this year.

Tarragon names new marketing maven

Luebbe

Tarragon announced the recent hiring of Caitlin Luebbe as its new director of marketing. She makes the move from Embarcadero Capital Partners in San Francisco. She has local roots, with a degree from Western Washington University. Tarragon's Dennis Rattie said in a statement, “We are excited to have Caitlin's experience and energy in the office. She is a great addition to the Tarragon team.”

Unico wins BOMA honor for Smith Tower

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The iconic Smith Tower sold in January, as part of a larger portfolio sale, from Unico Properties to a Goldman Sachs-related LLC for almost $138 million. Unico still manages the building, where it had made significant investments since purchasing it in 2015. Those included a refurbished lobby and observatory, new shops and historical exhibits, and a new bar and cafe called Temperance in the old Chinese Room on the 35th floor. And this month the Pioneer Square landmark received a Toby award during the annual Building Owners and Managers Association conference in Salt Lake City. The category was for historical buildings. Unico's Lynda Collie said in a statement, “We are honored to receive the prestigious Toby award from BOMA International for our commitment to providing our best-in-class building operation, management and service at Smith Tower.”

Conner Homes elevates new president

Conner Homes announced the internal promotion of Michael Lorenz as its new president. After 50 years at the family owned firm, outgoing president Charlie Conner will assume the new title of founder. He said in a statement, “Conner Homes is in a critical time of growth in the home building industry Michael's proven leadership, experience and vision will accelerate and facilitate our growth.” Lorenz has been with the company for four years, following executive posts at Quadrant Homes, Richmond American Homes, and DR Horton. He added, “I am thrilled to have earned the trust of the Conner family for the opportunity to lead such a great local company.”

Murano senior community targets fall opening

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The 24-story Murano, at 620 Terry Ave. on First Hill, topped out in December. Now operator Leisure Care has announced new details for the 243-unit “luxury senior living tower,” which is expected to open this fall. Rents will begin at $4,950 per month, an alternative to some buy-in senior communities. Leisure Care's Andy Gomes said in a statement, “Murano is billed as the place where retirement and luxury playfully mingle. We offer an active and engaging lifestyle to the 55-plus and senior communities, each who values continued connectedness to the vibrancy of Seattle.” The LEED-silver-targeted building includes memory-care and independent living units. Amenities will include concierge services, a gym and personal trainers, travel services and educational programs, an art studio and theater, three dining areas and a separate rooftop deck and bar. The marketing website is muranoseniorliving.com. Columbia Pacific Advisors is the developer, Ankrom Moisan is the architect and PCL Construction Services is the general contractor. Columbia Pacific ground leased the corner property, steps from the Frye Art Museum and numerous Pill Hill medical facilities, from the Archdiocese of Seattle.

NAIOP breakfast to have industrial focus

NAIOP's breakfast meeting this month is set for 7 a.m. next Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in Renton, which is part of Seco Development's new Southport, at 1053 Lake Washington Blvd. N. The topic will be the industrial market, with Travis Hale of Panattoni acting as moderator. Participating on the panel will be Tyler Litzenberger of Vector Development, Tony Miltenberger of Kidder Mathews and Mike Wood of Norris Beggs & Simpson. Details and registration: naiopwa.org.